Afghanistan at the 2020 Summer Paralympics

Afghanistan's participation was made uncertain by the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan following the Fall of Kabul on 15 August 2021. The organizers of the Paralympics initially announced that Afghanistan would be unable to compete.^[1][2]

Afghanistan was represented in the Parade of Nations and the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was invited to send a representative as a "sign of solidarity" despite the country's formal withdrawal.^[3] However the UNHCR declined to name a representative and a volunteer served as Afghanistan's flagbearer instead.^[4]

On 28 August 2021, Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli arrived in Tokyo after taking a flight en route from Kabul to Paris.^[5][6] It was also announced that Afghanistan would be able to compete in the Paralympics.^[7] The President of International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons, revealed that both of the Afghan athletes would not be available for interviews and also insisted that permission has been granted to them to skip the usual press conferences.^[8]

Para-athlete Hossain Rasouli was supposed to compete in the men's 100 metres T47 but arrived too late. He was entered in the men's long jump instead. Although he had competed in long jump before, the 2020 Paralympics marks the first time Rasouli took part in long jump in a major competition.^[9]